Kaitlyn D’Onofrio

DocwireNews

When following&nbsp;proper&nbsp;asthma&nbsp;protocol, parents&nbsp;may&nbsp;not have to worry about other outside factors, such as pets&nbsp;and secondhand cigarette smoke,&nbsp;affecting&nbsp;improvements in their children&rsquo;s asthma,&nbsp;recent research suggests.&nbsp;Children aged between 2 and 17 years (median age, 6) with uncontrolled asthma&nbsp;(n = 395) were enrolled in the three-year prospective cohort study. Asthma control was evaluated every three to six months and compared between patients with or without secondhand cigarette smoke exposure (from a caretaker) and between patients with or without a cat or dog at home. Most patients&rsquo; persistent asthma was mild (n = 101 [26%]) or moderate (n = 265 [67%]). Secondhand tobacco exposure was present in 98 (25%) children, and 215 (55%) had exposure to a cat or dog at home.&nbsp;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
At <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHEST2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHEST2018</a> I met a therapy dog and learned that secondhand factors in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/asthma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#asthma</a>, such as pets, don&rsquo;t significantly impact overall disease control. We were both very happy to hear! <a href="https://t.co/k6j3zrbVSH">https://t.co/k6j3zrbVSH</a> <a href="https://t.co/FbhHWTJALD">pic.twitter.com/FbhHWTJALD</a>
&mdash; Krista Rossi (@RossiKrista) <a href="https://twitter.com/RossiKrista/status/1050090385702363136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>At three to six months&rsquo; follow-up, researchers observed among all patients significant improvement in acute need care scores (hospital admissions, emergency department visits, urgent care visits, primary care visits, school days missed, short courses of oral steroids, and number of days requiring albuterol, as well as mean percent predicted FEV1, mean&nbsp;Asthma Control Test score,&nbsp;and asthma symptoms&nbsp;[number of days with wheezing and nighttime cough]), and improvement persisted at three years. Environmental factors did not significantly impact asthma improvement over time.&nbsp;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Asthma doesn't need to be devastating for a pet-loving kid. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHEST2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHEST2018</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/accpchest?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@accpchest</a> <a href="https://t.co/7ArTe8hXB7">https://t.co/7ArTe8hXB7</a>
&mdash; MedPage Today (@medpagetoday) <a href="https://twitter.com/medpagetoday/status/1050047805065240577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>The study&rsquo;s findings were published in the&nbsp;CHEST Journal&nbsp;and&nbsp;presented at CHEST 2018, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians.&nbsp;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Don&rsquo;t get rid of the cat yet&mdash;a pet may have little to no effect on children with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/asthma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#asthma</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pediatrics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pediatrics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHEST2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHEST2018</a>
Read more: <a href="https://t.co/dEni0RlwCX">https://t.co/dEni0RlwCX</a>
&mdash; MDedge Pediatrics (@MDedgePediatric) <a href="https://twitter.com/MDedgePediatric/status/1052529665506598912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Dr.&nbsp;Christopher Carroll, medical director and research director for pediatric critical care at Connecticut Children&rsquo;s Medical Center in Hartford, told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/chest/75600">MedPage&nbsp;Today</a>,&nbsp;&ldquo;These researchers showed that adherence to asthma treatment guidelines was more important than pet exposure, in terms of improving asthma symptoms over time.&rdquo; Carroll&nbsp;was not involved in the study.&nbsp;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A new study from Nationwide Children&rsquo;s Hospital found that once a child&rsquo;s asthma is under good control, having a household pet around doesn&rsquo;t seem to make it worse. <a href="https://t.co/6XvBpFqAqr">https://t.co/6XvBpFqAqr</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/asthma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#asthma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/columbiasc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#columbiasc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/scnews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#scnews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sctweets?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sctweets</a>
&mdash; LisaHuttoMD (@LisaHuttoMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/LisaHuttoMD/status/1052181334100246528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>The study authors concluded, &ldquo;Once asthma guidelines are followed, environmental exposure to pets or&nbsp;second hand&nbsp;tobacco smoke were not significant factors in overall asthma improvement over time.&rdquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/cardiology/poor-management-asthma-linked-atrial-fibrillation-risk/">Poor Management of Asthma Linked to Atrial Fibrillation Risk</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/docwire-pick/children-asthma-increased-risk/">Children with Asthma at Increased Risk of Obesity</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/docwire-pick/american-lung-association-wildfires/">American Lung Association Offers Precautions to Protect Lungs Amid Wildfires</a>&nbsp;Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(18)31862-2/abstract">CHEST Journal</a>

Jordana Jampel

Glycan-Targeting Novel Vaccine Shows Promise for Vast Virus Protection

Infectious Disease

Sara Nunnery, MD, MSCI

Reclassifying HER2: What Oncologists Need to Know About HER2-Low and -Ultralow Breast Cancer

HER2 Breast Cancer

Jeffrey Perl, MD

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP

Thoughts From the 2025 Lazarus Award Winner

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2025

Latest News

Environmental Factors Do Not Largely Impact Asthma Control in Children

Asthma

When following proper asthma protocol, parents may not have to worry about other outside factors, such as pets and secondhand cigarette smoke, affecting improvements ...

About Us

Editorial Policy

Advertising

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Contribute

Career Center

MashupMD

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

GU Oncology Now

Urban Health Today

Bile Duct Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Gastroesophageal Cancer

Gastric Cancer

GEP-NETs

GIST

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

GI Oncology Now

Anemia

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Essential Thrombocythemia

Hemophilia

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Pulmonary Embolism

Sickle Cell Disease

Thrombocytopenia

Thrombophilia

Thrombosis

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Venous Thromboembolism

von Willebrand Disease

Heme Today

Acute Kidney Injury

ADPKD

Anemia and Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease

Diabetes and Hypertension

End-Stage Renal Disease

Gout

Hyperkalemia

IgAN

Kidney Transplantation

Metabolic Acidosis

Nephrology Times

HR Breast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers Today

Atherosclerotic Disease

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Interventional Cardiology

Lipid Management

Practice Tips With Dr. Lichaa

Preventive Cardiology

Stroke

Cardiology

Breast Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Skin Cancer

Oncology

Sleep

Urology

Diabetes

Ophthalmology

— Demodex Blepharitis

Neurology

Rheumatology

Gastroenterology

Pulmonology

Infectious Diseases

— HIV

Health and Wellness

Lupus

Future of Medicine

Orthopedics

Pharmacology

Career News

More

Conferences

CardioNerds

The Sleep Source With Dr. Morse

Rheumatology Rounds With Dr. Maheswaranathan

Partners

Expert Interviews

Subscribe